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John, it’s Virginia here – I’m the chief ethics counsel at CREW.

I’m writing because ProPublica released yet another bombshell report on Clarence Thomas, revealing that Thomas repeatedly attended Koch network fundraising events and took even more secret, lavish trips with billionaire Harlan Crow, this time to Bohemian Grove, a two-week all-male party in California.

In January 2018, Clarence Thomas attended the annual winter donor summit of the Koch network, the political organization founded by the billionaire Koch brothers. While there, Justice Thomas went to a private dinner for the network’s donors.

Thomas has attended Koch donor events at least twice over the years, according to interviews with three former network employees and one major donor.

John, I’ll say this bluntly: Clarence Thomas served as a fundraising draw for a political network which has brought *multiple* cases before the Supreme Court. And we're just now finding out because Thomas didn't disclose attending the event or his private flight there.

That's another enormous ethics issue.

Clarence Thomas has repeatedly demonstrated a complete disregard for his ethical duties as a Supreme Court justice. It is beyond inappropriate for Justice Thomas to serve as a fundraising draw for a network that has brought cases before the Supreme Court.

The Koch network is among the largest and most influential political organizations in the country. For decades – even in this upcoming Supreme Court term – they have brought cases to the Supreme Court seeking to limit government regulations from environmental protection to money in politics issues.

That didn’t stop Clarence Thomas from socializing with the very people seeking favorable Supreme Court decisions.

The ethical violation couldn't be more obvious.

Justice Thomas likely violated civil and criminal laws when he failed to make required ethics disclosures and has created the impression that access to and influence over Supreme Court justices is for sale.

A trusted Supreme Court is crucial to democracy, and Justice Thomas’s repeated ethical failings risk irreparably damaging the public’s trust in the Court.

By continuing to sit on the highest court in the land, Thomas is further diminishing the Court’s credibility. That’s why we’re calling on him to resign.

Thank you,

Virginia Canter
Chief Ethics Counsel
CREW

P.S. Read all about these new revelations about Clarence Thomas’s secret trips here.